


Happy Birthday

by mrs_jughead_jones_iii



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Declarations Of Love, F/M, Falling In Love, I Ship It, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 07:56:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11309052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrs_jughead_jones_iii/pseuds/mrs_jughead_jones_iii
Summary: It is supposed to be Betty's first birthday in a relationship with Jughead but things don't turn out as planned.





	Happy Birthday

It was Betty’s 18th birthday. For her it was the best one because it was the first one she would celebrate not being single but with “Riverdale’s very own Holden Caulfield” Jughead Jones, as her best friend Veronica liked to say it. They would meet at Pop’s after school and Betty had given a thousand hints for her birthday gift in the last few weeks.

She bounced to school like a little girl; she was just too excited to meet her boyfriend. Veronica greeted her with a big hug and flowers from her and Archie. Even Kevin gave her something. It was the best feeling in the world to have friends like them but she was impatient for her boyfriend. She rushed through all the birthday wishes and gifts like a zombie while her mind was filled with day dreams about her birthday date with Jug.

“So, what are you and Jug doing after school?” Kevin asked during lunch.

“We’re drinking a milkshake at Pop’s and maybe we watch a movie…” Betty smiled. “I’m so excited. It’s my first birthday in a relationship. It couldn’t be any better.”

“That’s adorable,” Veronica said grinning, “He better makes your birthday the best one ever.”

“He will. I am sure.”

* * *

Betty sat impatiently at Pop’s, waiting with a strawberry milkshake with two straws. Jughead would be there any minute. They wanted to meet at six and it was already 5.58.

6pm.

6.15.

6.30.

7pm.

Betty had tried to call Jughead for half an hour but he didn’t pick up. She was close to tears. How could he do this to her? How could he hurt her like that? And that on her birthday!

Without her noticing, Archie sat down next to her but she was just looking at her phone, trying not to crush it.

“Wheres Jug?” Archie asked. As he saw her expression, he put an arm around his childhood best friend. “He isn’t coming?”

With a silent “No” Betty burst into tears. She couldn’t hold back anymore. It was too much.

“I - I was so happy, you know?” Betty sobbed, “We had just promised to trust each other and to be there for each other and he already broke it. We opened up to each other. I told him all my secrets, my wishes. That I want to leave Riverdale after graduation and never come back. We planned to leave _together_ and now? It’s not even that it’s my birthday. I - I fell in love with him, Archie. I love him so much and I wanted to tell him today but he doesn’t show up. Doesn’t he care about me? Did he lie?”

Archie hugged her tightly. It wasn’t awkward or romantic. It was the hug of a friend she knew since she was a little child. The feeling of him comforting her was familiar.

“You have to tell him,” her best friend said after a few seconds, “go and tell him. He would never just leave without a reason. I know him, Betty.”

She looked at him. “Are you sure?”

He nodded and made her stand up with a soft push. “Go. And call me when something’s wrong.”

Betty thanked him with a big hug, then rushed out of Pop’s and went straight to the Southside to meet her boyfriend.

* * *

 

It was dark. No one was outside; the only sound came out of the White Wyrm. She knew Jug’s trailer was always open so she didn’t even bother knocking and walked straight in. Jughead was sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands. His beanie was on the table. He didn’t even look up when she threw her bag next to it and sat down.

“I missed something, didn’t I?” he murmured.

“We wanted to meet at Pop’s,” Betty answered, “over an hour ago. Jughead, it’s my _birthday_.”

Now he lifted his head. He had bags under his eyes, as if he hadn’t slept for days. Betty’s heart broke at his appearance.

“I am sorry. I - I wanted to come, I even have your present but -” He stopped mid-sentence and took a small box out of his pocket. “Here, this is for you.” Betty opened the box with shaking hands. In it was a gold necklace with a mint-colored heart pendant.

She gasped. “Jug, it’s beautiful. Thank you. But why didn’t you come?”

“Betty…” He took her hand and looked into her eyes. “I think I’m in love with you, and that scares the shit out of me. I wanted to come, I swear, but I got scared. I’m a serpent. I don’t want to ruin you and I am not worthy of you -”

She stopped him right away. “Jughead, I love you too. You’re not ruining me. And you’re definitely worthy of me. You know I’m not perfect. What can I do to you to make you realize that we belong together? I can become a serpent too if you want to!”

“It’d be too dangerous for you! These guys aren’t just fun and flowers. They’re drug dealers and blackmailers. You wanted to leave Riverdale. If you’d become a serpent, you would be forced to stay. I don’t want to stand in the way of your dreams.”

“You won’t. _You_ are my dream. Where you are, I am home. Give me the chance to show you that.”

They sat there for a few moments without saying a word, only holding hands and looking at each other. He put his arms around her, kissing her forehead. And while it wasn’t the birthday she dreamed of, sitting here with him definitely made it the best one she ever had.


End file.
